George Poustie
George Sangster Poustie was born on 24th June 1904 at 38 Crammond Street,Glasgow, the son of David Poustie and Elizabeth Jane McKenzie Sangster and the third of 6 siblings. (The family later lived at 11 Fleuchar St, Dundee.)
Known as Geordie, he was a Master Stonemason and Builder and a staunch trade unionist in Dundee during the 1930s. He was frequently at loggerheads with his employers on various building sites, campaigning for improved working conditions and wages.
A Communist Party member, he is believed to have been working in Treorchy when he enlisted in the Brigade and his name appears on the Rhondda International Brigade Memorial (which lists all those who fought from that area, rather than just those who died in Spain).
He arrived in Spain on 4th February 1937 and was wounded at Brunete on 11th July 1937. He asked to be repatriated by the British Consul at Valencia but was refused. Captured on 31st March 1938 at Calaceite and imprisoned at the fascist prison at San Pedro de Cardenas, he was released and repatriated on 24th October 1938.
In 1940 he set up business in Dundee in the building trade with his brother John W. Poustie and, amongst other things, built many air-raid shelters in and around the city. The company was named 'Poustie & Wilson' and was based at 209 Strathmartine Road, adjacent to Fairmuir Park.
George married Isabella Lawson Grant on 25th March 1950 (no children) and died on 22nd December 1969 (his brother John had died aged 45 in December 1951). He still has family living in Dundee
Mike Arnott
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